This utility model is basically a combination of a computer keyboard attachment, and a keyboard key replacement and identification system; but more specifically, is a computer keyboard enhancement kit.
We know for a fact that the computer is fast becoming an educational tool among children with ages 3 to 6. With the present proliferation, and availability of educational software in the market for these particular ages, the need for computers to be user-friendly for children becomes more apparent. Among the computer devices, the keyboard seems to be the least user-friendly as far as computing for children is concerned.
One feature of the computer keyboard mostly used by children when working on educational software is its letter keys. They are the keys that have the English letter symbols on them. With the letter symbols being in uppercase only, typing of lowercase letters for children can oftentimes be confusing especially if they have not fully mastered yet their letters. Having to press uppercase letters when they are given lowercase letters, and having to be familiar with where these uppercase letters are on the keyboard are just too much for children to handle at the same time when keyboarding. With regards to the keys"" shapes and colors, they lack variety, thereby, making all the keys look the same and very hard to distinguish from each other. At the same time, they become so plain that they are unattractive and uninteresting for children to use. Likewise, with the keys being in the standard QWERTY layout which is very new from the ABC order that they are used to, children find locating of letters on the keyboard too stressful and too frustrating to achieve.
Many keyboards especially made for children may be available in the market but can be very costly. Their prices can cost double or even triple the prices of standard keyboards. Thus, they become an impractical investment since they are useful only while children are children. Besides, having so may cause inconvenience to those adults who share a computer system with children since they have to change to a standard keyboard everytime they need to work on their computer.
Several prior art inventions have been found to address the problems aforementioned but none of them actually possesses all the advantages this present invention has.
One of these prior art inventions is the children""s computer keyboard by Kuhlenschmidt with U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,960 (1995). It includes color-coded, enlarged, square-shaped keys with enlarged characters but all the alphabet keys have the same color. Thus, the keys"" colors and shapes are still not varied. It also includes an extension cord for the changing of keyboards. This means an additional purchase of keyboard has to be made aside from the standard keyboard normally used with the computer system.
Another is the computer keyboard educational toy of Hatfield with U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,160 (1985). It aims to teach small children alphanumeric characters and their positions on a conventional keyboard but still retains the standard keyboard-key shape.
There is also the keyboard assembly and typing method of Liljenquist with U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,346 (1990) which makes use of colors and shapes to form a visual pattern among keys, making association of a distinct visual pattern with each letter of the alphabet possible. However, the colors and shapes are on the keys and not of the keys. Thus, they occupy most of each key""s surface, and make the letter symbols less visible for children to read.
With the computer keyboard system of Wen-Hung that has U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,437 (1999), it enables users to locate keys of letters, radicals, and phonetic symbols quickly but modifies only the keys"" colors to differentiate them from each other. Thus, problems may still arise then when identifying those keys with the same color for there are no other distinguishing marks aside from the symbols on them. The same would be the case with the keyboard of Allen with U.S. Pat. No. 706,002 (1902) which has keys grouped and differentiated by colors suggestive of the characters embraced in the groups.
It is important to note that the above prior art inventions are all basically keyboards. None of them works as an attachment for a standard keyboard. With those that qualify under such classification, most of them merely serve to protect or cover the keyboard keys. Among them are: the keyboard guard of Willingham with U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,163 (1976); the computer key cover apparatus of Phillippe with U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,317 (1991); the computer keyboard cover of De Taboada with design U.S. Pat. No. 425,041 (1999); and the key-button cap of a typewriting machine of Sweeney with U.S. Pat. No. 1,530,146 (1923).
On the other hand, there are prior art inventions that work as attachments but serve other purposes than protecting the keyboard keys. Such are: the finger-key for typewriting and similar machines of Conklin with U.S. Pat. No. 956,485 (1910); and the replacement labels for keyboards of McLaughlin with U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,092 (1985). Both are primarily purposed to replace labels on the keys. The replacements though still take the shape of the keyboard keys. The one of Vickers which is a keyboard attachment for typing and computing machines with U.S. Pat. No. 1,673,724 (1925) aims to increase speed and avoid errors in operating keys but works more for those who can already read letters, numbers, and symbols.
Therefore, it is the main purpose of this utility model to enhance for children with ages 3 to 6 the appearance of the keys on the computer keyboard, and make finding and remembering of keys for them easier, more fun, and more educational. The logical assignment of colors and shapes to the key replacements that go with the kit, and the availability of key replacements with either uppercase or lowercase letters on them lessen the level of difficulty for children when using the keys. Likewise, such features can benefit the adults supervising children on the computer. Giving directions to children with regard to letter location can be easier since the shape and color of the key that has the needed letter can be be described.
Another purpose of this model is to provide a cheaper but more effective and more convenient alternative over buying a special keyboard for children""s use on the computer. Instead of having to spend on one more keyboard aside from the regular keyboard that normally goes with the computer system, the jacket in the kit can easily be wrapped around, and removed from any computer keyboard anytime. The model may be designed to fit all sizes and shapes of computer keyboards there are in the market at present.
Likewise, this model is designed to have an activity in itself. Even if it is not being used for the computer keyboard, educational games can be performed with it to teach shapes, colors, letters, and patterns. It is for this reason that the key replacements are detachable.
One more purpose of this utility model is to serve as a protection for the keyboard keys from inevitable banging and careless pressing children do with them. Since the model can cover the whole keyboard, all the other keys aside from the letter keys get protected, too. Besides, the rubber pads at the bottom surface of the jacket enable children to practice pressing keys lightly.
Other purposes and advantages of this utility model will become evident upon reading the detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawings.